Hampshire England
Information about Hampshire UK
Hampshire :In the county of Hampshire lies The New Forest. It is so called because
it was man-made. It was William I who created it over 900 years ago as
his Royal Hunting Ground. In 2005 The New Forest National Park was
created with the aims to conserve and enhance its natural beauty and
wildlife. Although it is called a forest less than half of it is made up
of woodland. Within the 145 square miles that make up the Park there are heathland, ancient villages with beautiful thatched cottages, small
market towns, bogland, sparkling streams, rivers and estuaries and
beaches as well as beautiful woodland, Herds of cattle, pigs, deer,
donkeys and very tame 'wild ponies' roam through it.
Most of these animals are privately owned but use the Forest to graze
under an ancient system of Commoners grazing rights. The Park provides
many activities for the visitor. Museums, castles, ancient churches,
Manor houses, animal centres, gardens, swimming pools, cycling, pony
trekking and horse riding, theme parks and more. However, in such a
large area, it maintains tranquility and natural beauty. Accommodation
can be found all over the Park. From 5 star hotels, small guest houses,
bed and breakfast accommodation and camping facilities.
The village of Brockenhurst lies within the Heritage Area of the New Forest and is a beautiful little village with a stream flowing across the road during the summertime. At Lyndhurst, the capital of The New Forest, there is the elegant and traditional The Crown Hotel. Staying here gives you a wonderful base for exploring the whole area and also places further afield, like Winchester and Salisbury.
The County town of Hampshire is Winchester. It was the capital of Saxon
England, the ancient capital of Wessex. When the kings of Wessex became
kings of all England, Winchester was a rival with London to be the
capital of the country. It was here that King Alfred the Great had his
seat and many kings, queens and saints are buried in Winchester. Things
to see include the ruins of Winchester Castle built in 13th century by
Henry III. Only the Great Hall remains but it is a beautiful, ancient
building and contains what is reputed to be King Arthur's Round Table.
The 11th century Winchester Cathedral contains an amazing mixture of
architectural styles that blend together very happily. It is one of the
largest cathedrals in Europe and has the longest nave. The famous 19th
century novelist, Jane Austen, is buried in the nave. Visit too the City
Museum and nearby Wolvesey Castle.